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County agency may go private But union says building department customers, employees would lose out By Dani Dodge Jackson County is considering privatizing its building department as part of its continual search for cost savings. "It�s my belief we should be constantly looking at all our services and asking the question: Are we delivering services as effectively as possible, or is it something that would be better delivered by the private sector?" said County Administrator Sue Slack. But the Oregon Public Employees Union is dead-set against the plan. In a Sept. 27 letter to Slack, union representatives stated: "Quite frankly, we are appalled." Local union president Monty Walters and four others wrote that they have concerns that if the department is privatized there will be less accountability to the public, and long-term public interests will take second place to short-term gain. "The overarching principal governing service delivery shifts from public need to private profit," the letter said. "These profits often come on the backs of employees through reduced wages and benefits, requiring public programs to make up for the loss in health insurance and family wage jobs." Slack said, though, that even if the building department is privatized, it can�t make a profit. Also, the county hasn�t yet even put together a proposal for privatization, let alone come close to a decision on the matter. "(Building official) Dale (Bohannan) needs to complete a preliminary analysis of whether its feasible," she said. "Then we would start discussion with the commissioners and the union. But I don�t have the initial analysis yet." Among the building department�s duties are inspecting structures and issuing building, plumbing and electrical permits. Commissioner Jack Walker said he is pleased the county is exploring ways to provide government services more cheaply. "We always need to be looking at that and always keeping our minds open," Walker said. "Just because we haven�t done it that way for 20 years, might not mean it could be better." He said he realizes it isn�t a proposal that will be popular with the union � but it still needs to be explored. "It�s up to the people who are elected to run government as efficiently as possible," Walker said. "Not to look at it politically, but instead with the public�s best interest in mind." Slack said the county will continue to consider privatization whenever it makes sense and saves money. She said the county has explored that idea previously when looking at mental health, but decided against it because the county could provide the service more efficiently. The county also looked at contracting out for chip sealing roads, and learned it was less expensively done in-house. She said she doesn�t know what this study will show. "There�s lots of stuff to look at before we get down to if this is a good idea or not," she said. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.